U.S. patent application number 13/584969 was filed with the patent office on 2014-02-20 for software-application initiation.
This patent application is currently assigned to GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is Venugopal Vasudevan, Jehan Wickramasuriya, Joseph F. Wodka. Invention is credited to Venugopal Vasudevan, Jehan Wickramasuriya, Joseph F. Wodka.
Application Number | 20140051505 13/584969 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50100405 |
Filed Date | 2014-02-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140051505 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wickramasuriya; Jehan ; et
al. |
February 20, 2014 |
SOFTWARE-APPLICATION INITIATION
Abstract
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for triggering (i.e.,
initiating, launching, or running) a software application (e.g., an
interactive game application) or other computer program or
application on a user device (e.g., a computer, etc.) based on
multimedia content being provided to (e.g., displayed on) a
different user device (e.g., a different computer, a television,
etc.). The methods may comprise displaying, using a first device,
multimedia content. A multimedia-analysis process may then be
performed to determine an attribute of the multimedia content being
displayed. These attributes may be used to acquire (e.g., select or
produce) a software application comprising one or more elements
that relate to the multimedia content. The software application may
then be launched (i.e., triggered, initiated, or run) on a second
device, the second device being different from the first
device.
Inventors: |
Wickramasuriya; Jehan; (St.
Charles, IL) ; Vasudevan; Venugopal; (Palatine,
IL) ; Wodka; Joseph F.; (Hoffman Estates,
IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Wickramasuriya; Jehan
Vasudevan; Venugopal
Wodka; Joseph F. |
St. Charles
Palatine
Hoffman Estates |
IL
IL
IL |
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
GENERAL INSTRUMENT
CORPORATION
Horsham
PA
|
Family ID: |
50100405 |
Appl. No.: |
13/584969 |
Filed: |
August 14, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/29 ;
709/201 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 13/44 20140902;
H04N 21/44008 20130101; H04N 21/8173 20130101; H04N 21/8186
20130101; A63F 2300/534 20130101; A63F 13/332 20140902; A63F
2300/209 20130101; H04N 19/597 20141101; H04N 21/4781 20130101;
H04N 21/4126 20130101; A63F 13/12 20130101; H04N 21/478 20130101;
H04N 21/4394 20130101; H04N 21/4113 20130101; A63F 13/48 20140902;
A63F 13/32 20140902 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/29 ;
709/201 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24; G06F 15/16 20060101 G06F015/16 |
Claims
1. A method of launching or running a software application, the
method comprising: displaying, using a first device, multimedia
content; performing, by a media-analysis module, a
multimedia-analysis process to determine one or more attributes of
the multimedia content being displayed using the first user device;
using the determined one or more attributes, acquiring, by one or
more processors operatively coupled to the media-analysis module, a
software application, the software application comprising one or
more elements that relate to the multimedia content; and launching
or running, on a second device operatively coupled to the one or
more processors, the acquired software application, the second
device being different from the first device.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the acquired software
application is an interactive game program that may be played,
using the second device, by a user of the second device.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein: displaying multimedia
content is for consumption by a user of the first device; launching
or running the acquired software application on the second device
is such that a user of the second device may interact with the
software application using the second device; and the user of the
first device and the user of the second device are the same
entity.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein acquiring comprises
selecting, from a plurality of software applications, a software
application comprising one or more elements that relate to the
multimedia content.
5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the plurality of software
applications are stored on the second device.
6. A method according to claim 4 wherein the software application
is selected depending upon one or more factors selected from the
group consisting of: preferences or criteria specified by a user of
the second device, interactions between a user of the second device
and one or more software applications that have previously been
launched or run on the second device, preferences or criteria
specified by a provider of the multimedia content, and preferences
or criteria specified by a provider of the software
application.
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein acquiring comprises:
selecting a software application from a plurality of software
applications, each of the plurality of software applications
comprising one or more elements into which information relating to
the multimedia content may be included; acquiring information
relating to the multimedia content, the acquired information being
for inclusion in the selected software application; and including,
in the one or more elements of the selected software application,
the acquired information relating to the multimedia content,
thereby providing a software application comprising one or more
elements that relate to the multimedia content.
8. A method according to claim 7 wherein acquiring information
relating to the multimedia content comprises extracting that
information from either the multimedia content being displayed or
metadata associated with the multimedia content being
displayed.
9. A method according to claim 7 wherein the plurality of software
applications are stored on the second device.
10. A method according to claim 7 wherein the software application
is selected depending upon one or more factors selected from the
group consisting of: preferences or criteria specified by a user of
the second device, interactions between a user of the second device
and one or more software applications that have previously been
launched or run on the second device, preferences or criteria
specified by a provider of the multimedia content, and preferences
or criteria specified by a provider of the software
application.
11. A method according to claim 1 wherein performing a
multimedia-analysis process comprises performing a
multimedia-analysis process on metadata associated with the
multimedia content being displayed using the first user device to
determine one or more attributes of that multimedia content.
12. A method according to claim 1 further comprising providing, by
the second device for use by one or more entities remote from the
second device, information relating to how a user of the second
device interacts with the launched or run software application.
13. A method according to claim 1 wherein the multimedia content
comprises video.
14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the multimedia content
is a television program.
15. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first device is
selected from the group consisting of: a desktop personal computer,
a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile station, an
entertainment appliance, a set-top box communicatively coupled to a
television, a television, a wireless phone, a smartphone, a
netbook, and a game console.
16. A method according to claim 1 wherein the second device is
selected from the group consisting of: a desktop personal computer,
a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile station, an
entertainment appliance, a set-top box communicatively coupled to a
television, a television, a wireless phone, a smartphone, a
netbook, and a game console.
17. A method according to claim 1 wherein the media-analysis module
is located in the first device.
18. A method according to claim 1 wherein: the acquired software
application is an interactive game program that may be
simultaneously played by a plurality of players using respective
devices; the method further comprises identifying one or more
further devices, each further device being a device using which the
interactive game program may be played by a user of that device,
each further device being different from the second device; and the
method further comprises launching or running, on each further
device, the acquired software application.
19. A method according to claim 18 wherein a further device is
selected from a plurality of further devices depending upon one or
more factors selected from the group consisting of: preferences or
criteria specified by a user of that further device, interactions
between a user of that further device and one or more software
applications that have previously been launched or run on that
further device, preferences or criteria specified by a provider of
the multimedia content, and preferences or criteria specified by a
provider of the software application.
20. A system for launching or running a software application, the
system comprising: a first device configured to display multimedia
content; a media-analysis module configured to perform a
multimedia-analysis process to determine one or more attributes of
the multimedia content being displayed using the first user device;
one or more processors operatively coupled to the media-analysis
module and configured to acquire a software application, the
software application comprising one or more elements that relate to
the identified multimedia content; and a second device operatively
coupled to the one or more processors and configured to launch or
run the acquired software application; wherein the second device is
different from the first device.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure is related to initiating software
applications.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In the field of computer or video game development and
marketing, providing, to consumers computer or video games that
relate to multimedia content (e.g., television programs) that those
consumers are consuming, or have recently consumed, tends to be
difficult.
[0003] In particular, synchronizing computer or video games with TV
programs that are being broadcast or have recently been broadcast
tends to be difficult. Also, the assembling of a community of game
players for multiplayer gameplay of such games tends to be
difficult.
[0004] Furthermore, authoring costs associated with developing a
game, and costs associated with the marketing of games to a large
community of game players, tend to be high. In addition to, and
separate from, development and marketing costs, for computer or
video games that relate to multimedia content, costs associated
with synchronizing those games to the related multimedia content
and assembling a community of game players for multiplayer gameplay
tend to be high.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] While the appended claims set forth the features of the
present techniques with particularity, these techniques, together
with their objects and advantages, may be best understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings of which:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) showing an
example network in which an embodiment of a method of initiating an
application on a user device is implemented; and
[0007] FIG. 2 is a process flow chart showing certain steps of an
embodiment of a method of initiating an application on a user
device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0008] Turning to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals
refer to like elements, techniques of the present disclosure are
illustrated as being implemented in a suitable environment. The
following description is based on embodiments of the claims and
should not be taken as limiting the claims with regard to
alternative embodiments that are not explicitly described
herein.
[0009] Embodiments of the present methods, systems, and apparatus
trigger (i.e., initiate, launch, or run) a game, or other computer
program or application, on a user device (e.g., a computer, etc.)
based on multimedia content being provided to (e.g., displayed on)
a different user device (e.g., a different computer, a television
etc.).
[0010] Apparatus for implementing any of the below described
arrangements, and for performing any of the below described method
steps, may be provided by configuring or adapting any suitable
apparatus, for example one or more computers or other processing
apparatus or processors, or by providing additional modules. The
apparatus may comprise a computer, a network of computers, or one
or more processors, for implementing instructions and using data,
including instructions and data in the form of a computer program
or plurality of computer programs stored in or on a
machine-readable storage medium such as computer memory, a computer
disk, ROM, PROM, etc., or any combination of these or other storage
media.
[0011] It should be noted that certain of the process steps
depicted in the below described process flowcharts may be omitted
or such process steps may be performed in an order differing from
that presented below and shown in those process flowcharts.
Furthermore, although all the process steps have, for convenience
and ease of understanding, been depicted as discrete
temporally-sequential steps, nevertheless some of the process steps
may in fact be performed simultaneously or at least overlapping to
some extent temporally.
[0012] Referring now to the Figures, FIG. 1 is a schematic
illustration (not to scale) showing an example network 1 in which
an embodiment of a method of initiating a software application
(hereinafter referred to as an "application") on a user device is
implemented. This method is described in more detail below with
reference to FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the application to be
initiated is a game. The terminology "initiate" is used herein to
refer to the starting, launching, triggering, etc., of that program
on a user device.
[0013] This example network 1 comprises a content provider 2, a
set-top box 4, a television (TV) 6, the Internet 8, a game-services
module 10, one or more game providers 12, a tablet computer 14, and
a user 16.
[0014] The content provider 2 provides multimedia content (e.g., TV
programs, movies, radio, etc.) to the set-top box 4 such that the
provided multimedia content may be displayed on the TV 6 for
consumption by the user 16. The content provider 2 may also provide
services related to that multimedia content to the set-top box 4
for use by the user 16. The connection between the content provider
2 and the set-top box 4 may be any appropriate connection, e.g.,
via a cable-TV network or satellite-TV network.
[0015] The set-top box 4 may receive multimedia content from the
content provider 2 and display, on the TV 6, that multimedia
content to the user 16. In this embodiment, the set-top box 4
comprises a media-analysis module 5 that is configured to perform
one or more media-analysis processes on the content received by the
set-top box 4 from the content provider 2. These media-analysis
processes may be performed to analyze the multimedia content that
is displayed to the user 16. The multimedia-analysis processes
performed by the media-analysis module 5 and the purpose of such
processes is described in more detail below with reference to FIG.
2. In other embodiments, the functionality provided by the
media-analysis module 5 may be provided by a different module that
may be, at least in part, remote from the set-top box 4. For
example, multimedia-analysis processes may be performed by a
media-analysis module that is located in the TV 6, or is an
out-of-band module, etc.
[0016] In addition to being connected to the content provider 2 and
the TV 6, the set-top box 4 may be connected (via the Internet 8 or
in some other way) to the game-services module 10 such that
information may be sent from the set-top box 4 to the game-services
module 10 (e.g., an output of the media-analysis processes
performed by the set-top box 4 may be sent from the set-top box 4
to the game-services module 10) and vice versa.
[0017] The TV 6 is a conventional television which, in operation,
may display the multimedia content (e.g., TV programs) provided by
the content provider 2 (and received by the TV 6 from the set-top
box 4).
[0018] In other embodiments, multimedia content provided by the
content provider 2 may be consumed by the user 16 (e.g., displayed
to the user 16) using a different type of end-user device (i.e.,
instead of or in addition to the set-top box 4 communicatively
coupled to the TV 6). For example, in other embodiments the user 16
may view TV programs provided by the content provider 2 using a
desktop personal computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer 14,
a mobile station, an entertainment appliance, a wireless phone, a
smartphone, a netbook, a game console, etc.
[0019] The functionality provided by the game-services module 10 is
described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2. The
game-services module 10 may be connected, e.g., via the Internet 8,
to the set-top box 4 such that information sent from the set-top
box 4 may be received by the game-services module 10 and vice
versa. Also, the game-services module 10 may be connected, e.g.,
via the Internet 8, to the tablet computer 14 such that information
may be sent between the game-services module 10 and the tablet
computer 14. The game-services module 10 may be configured to
process information received by it from the set-top box 4 and from
the tablet computer 14 as described in more detail below with
reference to FIG. 2. Also, the game-services module 10 is connected
to the one or more game providers 12 such that information (e.g.,
digital games provided by the game providers 12) may be sent from
the game providers 12 to the game-services module 10 and vice
versa. The game-services module 10 may comprise a database 11 in
which information may be stored.
[0020] The game providers 12 are providers of digital games that
may be played by consumers (e.g., the user 16). Some or all of the
games provided by game providers may be suitable for playing on the
tablet computer 14 or using the set-top box 4 and TV 6. Some or all
of the games provided by game providers 12 may be suitable for
playing on any or all of the following devices: a desktop personal
computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer 14, a mobile
station, an entertainment appliance, a set-top box 4
communicatively coupled to a television 6, a wireless phone, a
smartphone, a netbook, and a game console.
[0021] The game providers 12 may be connected to the game-services
module 10 such that the game-services module 10 may receive or
retrieve a game from the game providers 12. The received game may
then be distributed by the game-services module 10 (e.g., via the
Internet 8) to the tablet computer 14. The user 16 may play the
game that is received by the tablet computer 14 by using the tablet
computer 14.
[0022] A game may be any appropriate type of game. For example, a
game may be a puzzle game, a word-based game, a skill game, a
multi-player game, a single-player game, etc. A game provided by a
game provider 12 may relate to specific multimedia content (e.g., a
specific TV program or movie). Alternatively a game provided by a
game provider 12 may be a "generic game" that does not relate to
any specific multimedia content.
[0023] A game provided by a game provider 12 may comprise one or
more elements or portions that may be dynamically filled using
information or multimedia content. For example, a generic game
(i.e., a game that does not relate to specific multimedia content)
may have an element into which may be included or inserted media
content or information relating to specific multimedia content.
Thus, by including or inserting information or content relating to
specific multimedia (e.g., a specific TV program or movie) into a
generic game, a game that relates to that specific multimedia may
be produced.
[0024] An example of such a generic game may be a puzzle game in
which an image has been "cut up" into a plurality of image pieces.
These pieces may be displayed to a player in an incorrect
arrangement. The object of the game is for a player to re-arrange
the image pieces to recreate the original image. For this game, an
image relating to specific multimedia (e.g., a screenshot taken
from a specific TV show) may be used as the image that is "cut up"
into the image pieces. Thus, a puzzle game relating to that
specific multimedia may be produced.
[0025] A further example of such a generic game is a word search
game in which an array of letters and a predefined list of words is
presented to the player. The object of the game is for the player
to find, within the array of letters, the words in the list. For
this game, words relating to the specific multimedia (e.g., closed
caption or subtitle words that may have been extracted from the
specific multimedia) may be used as the words in the list. Thus, a
word search game relating to that specific multimedia may be
produced.
[0026] The tablet computer 14 is a conventional tablet computer.
The tablet computer 14 is coupled to the game-services module 10
via, e.g., the Internet 8 (e.g., via Wi-Fi Internet access). This
coupling is such that information may be sent from the tablet
computer 14 to the game-services module 10 and vice versa. In other
embodiments, a different type of device may replace the tablet
computer 14, e.g., a different type of computer (e.g., a laptop
computer or a "smartphone"). The tablet computer 14 may comprise a
game container 18 and a touch-screen display 20.
[0027] The game container 18 may contain one or more games that may
be played by the user 16 using the tablet computer 14.
Alternatively or in addition, the game container 18 may contain
references to one or more games that may be used (e.g., by the
tablet computer 14 or by the game-services module 10) to retrieve
the referenced games such that they may be played by the user 16
using the tablet computer 14. In other embodiments, the game
container 18 may be external to the tablet computer 14. (For
example, the game container 18 may be connected to the tablet
computer 14 via the Internet 8.)
[0028] The user 16 may be a user or operator of the TV 6 and of the
tablet computer 14. For example, the user 16 play a game (e.g., a
game stored in the game container 18) using the tablet computer 14.
Also, the user 16 may watch, using the TV 6, the multimedia content
provided by the content provider 2.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a process flow chart showing certain steps of the
process of performed by the entities in the network 1.
[0030] At step s2, the user 16 may select one or more of the games
provided by the game providers 12. The user 16 may select the game
or games he may wish to play at a future time.
[0031] For example, the game-services module 10 may compile a list
of games provided by the game providers 12. This list of available
games may then be provided by the game-services module 10 to the
tablet computer 14 (e.g., via the Internet 8) for display, using
the display 20 of the tablet computer 14, to the user 16. The user
16 may then select one or more of the displayed games. The
selection of a game by the user 16 may comprise the user 16
purchasing the game or providing information (e.g., profile
information or preference information) that may used, for example,
by the game-services module 10.
[0032] At step s4, the games selected by the user 16 are downloaded
by the tablet computer 14. The downloaded games may be stored by
the game container 18.
[0033] At step s6, the tablet computer 14 may inform the
game-services module 10 which of the games have been downloaded and
stored in the game container 18. In other words, the tablet
computer 14 may register with the game-services module 10 which
games are stored in the game container 18 of the tablet computer
14. This may, for example, be performed by the game container 18
providing details of the stored games to the game-services module
10.
[0034] At step s7, the game-services module 10 may store, e.g., in
the database 11, details of the games stored by the game container
18. This information may be stored alongside information by which
the game container 18 may be identified. Thus, for a plurality of
game containers 18 located on a plurality of different end-user
devices, the game-services module 10 may store, in the database 11,
details of which games are stored in which game containers 18.
[0035] At step s8, the content provider 2 provides multimedia
content (e.g., TV programs, movies, radio, etc) to the set-top box
4. The multimedia content may be sent in any appropriate format,
for example, the multimedia content may be encoded in an
appropriate transport stream.
[0036] At step s10, the set-top box 4 may process the received
multimedia content and send the processed information to the TV 6.
The processing performed by the set-box 4 at step s10 may be any
appropriate processing such that the processed multimedia content
sent to the TV 6 is displayable by the TV 6. For example, the
set-top box 4 may decode a transport stream received from the
content provider 2 and send the decoded multimedia content to the
TV 6.
[0037] At step s12, the TV 6 displays the multimedia content. Thus,
the user 16 may view the multimedia content on the TV 6.
[0038] At step s14, the media-analysis module 5 may perform one or
more media-analysis processes on the multimedia content that is
received by it from the content provider 2 (or on metadata
associated with that multimedia content). The media-analysis
processes may be performed to identify what is being displayed to
the user 16, i.e., what multimedia content is being consumed by the
user 16. Alternatively, the media-analysis processes may be
performed to determine an identifier for what is being displayed to
the user 16 (i.e., information that may be used, e.g., by the
game-services module 10, to identify what is being displayed to the
user 16). For example, the media-analysis processes may be
performed to identify the specific TV program or movie being
watched by the user 16. Any appropriate media-analysis processes
may be used. For example, the media-analysis module 5 may analyze
programmatic metadata associated with the multimedia content to
identify the multimedia content. Also for example, the
media-analysis module 5 may analyze a closed-caption file or an
audio file of the multimedia content to identify the multimedia
content.
[0039] In other embodiments, the functionality provided by the
media-analysis module 5 may be provided by one or more different
modules, some or all of which may be located in a location
different from that of the media-analysis module 5 of this
embodiment. For example, analysis of the multimedia content may be
performed by a module located in the TV 6. Alternatively, for
example, the tablet computer 14 or other user device may comprise a
module that is capable of discerning what the user 16 is watching
on the TV 6 (e.g., by analyzing audio of the multimedia content or
by detecting "watermarks" displayed on the TV 6).
[0040] At step s16, an output of the media-analysis module 5 (e.g.,
an identity of, or identifier for, the multimedia content) may be
sent to the game-services module 10 (e.g., by the set-top box 4 via
the Internet 8).
[0041] At step s18, the game-services module 10 may process the
received output of the media-analysis module 5. The game-services
module 10 may also process the information specifying which games
have been downloaded and stored in the game container 18 (that may
have been stored in the database 11 at step s7).
[0042] The processing performed by the game-services module 10 at
step s18 may be performed to determine one or more games that may
be suitable or appropriate for initiation. This processing may be
performed as follows. Firstly, using the identity of, or identifier
for, the multimedia content, one or more game types may be
identified. This process of identifying game types may comprise
utilizing information specified by the content provider 2 (e.g.,
the content provider 2 may specify that only certain types of
games, e.g., puzzle games, may be initiated using his content).
Also, the process of identifying game types may comprise utilizing
information specified by the game providers 12 (e.g., the game
providers 12 may specify that their games may only be initiated
using certain types of multimedia content, e.g., multimedia content
provided by certain content providers). Secondly, from those games
that are stored in the game container 18 (i.e., that the tablet
computer 14 has registered with the game-services module 10), the
games that are of the identified types may be identified. Thus, at
step s18, the game-services module 10 may identify, from the games
stored on the game container 18, one or more games that may be
initiated for the multimedia content that is being displayed (or
has recently been displayed) to the user 16. In other embodiments,
one or more games stored within the game container 18 may be
identified in a different appropriate way.
[0043] At step s20, from the games identified at step s18, the
game-services module 10 may select a game for initiation on the
tablet computer 14. This selection of a game may be made in
accordance with any appropriate criteria (for example criteria
specified in a "game initiation policy").
[0044] Thus, by performing steps s18 and s20, the game-services
module 10 may use information specifying what the user 16 is
watching to select, from the games stored on the game container 18
of the tablet computer 14, a game for initiation on the tablet
computer 14. In other embodiments, a different appropriate process
may be performed by the game-services module 10 to select a game
for initiation.
[0045] At step s21, information specifying which game has been
selected may be sent from the game-services module 10 to the game
container 18, i.e., the game container 18 may be informed which of
the games stored by the game container 18 has been selected for
initiation.
[0046] At step s22, the game-services module 10 may acquire any
information or media content that is to be used by the selected
game. For example, if the selected game comprises one or more
elements or portions that may be dynamically filled using
information or multimedia content, then the game-services module 10
may acquire that information or multimedia content. The acquired
information or media content may relate to the specific multimedia
content that is displayed to the user 16 at step s12. The
information or media content may be acquired in any appropriate
way, for example, the information or media content may be retrieved
from any appropriate source, e.g., from the set-top box 4. For
example, if the selected game is a generic game comprising an
element into which may be inserted media content or information
that is related to the specific multimedia content being consumed
by the user 16 (e.g., a screen-shot or other image taken from the
displayed multimedia content or information extracted from the
closed caption of the displayed multimedia content), then the
game-services module 10 may retrieve that information.
[0047] The game-services module 10 may identify what information or
multimedia content is to be acquired for the selected game.
Alternatively, the game container 18 may specify to the
game-services module 10 what information or multimedia content, or
what type of information or multimedia content, is to be acquired
for the selected game.
[0048] At step s23, any information retrieved (at step s22) by the
game-services module 10 for inclusion in the game selected at step
s20 may be included or inserted in that game. This step may be
performed, for example, by the game-services module 10 sending the
information or media content that was acquired at step s22 to the
game container 18, and the game container 18 inserting or including
the received information or media content into the selected game
(which is stored in the game container 18). In other embodiments,
this step of including the acquired information may be performed in
a different way, e.g., by a different entity.
[0049] At step s24, if the selected game is a multi-player game,
other users of client computing devices (e.g., tablet computers,
smartphones, etc.) may be identified as potential additional
players of the selected game. This may be performed using any
appropriate process, e.g., a service-discovery process. For
example, any other users who are also watching the same multimedia
content as the user 16 and who have a device upon which the
selected game has also been downloaded may be selected as potential
additional players of the selected game. Also, the selection of
potential additional game players may comprise analyzing user
analytics, metadata relating to the multimedia content being
consumed, etc. This may be performed, for example, to identify fans
of the associated multimedia content or of the selected game. Also
the selection of potential additional game players may comprise
selecting, as a potential additional game player, one or more
members of a social network of the user 16. Thus, at step s24 a
community of potential game-players may be assembled.
[0050] At step s26, the selected game may be initiated on the
tablet computer 14. The initiated game may include any multimedia
content or information included in it at step s23.
[0051] In certain embodiments, the selected game may be initiated
(i.e., launched or started) automatically by the game container 18.
In other embodiments, the selected game may be initiated
automatically in response to the tablet computer 14 receiving an
"initiate game" instruction, e.g., from the game-services module
10. In other embodiments, the selected game may be initiated only
after the user 16 has given his permission for that game to be
initiated on the tablet computer 14. For example, a message asking
whether the selected game should be initiated on the tablet
computer 14 may be displayed, e.g., on the display 20 or on the TV
6, to the user 16. The user 16 may then allow the game to be
initiated on the tablet computer 14.
[0052] The initiation (i.e., launching or triggering) of the game
may be synchronized with a particular portion of the associated
multimedia content. For example, a game associated with a TV
program may be initiated when a particular event in the TV program
occurs. Alternatively, the initiation of the game may be "skewed"
relative to the associated content. For example, a game associated
with a TV program may be initiated as soon as that TV program has
ended or during a commercial break, etc.
[0053] If the selected game is a multi-player game, then the
selected game may also be initiated on the client computing devices
identified at step s24. Thus, a multiplayer game may be
launched.
[0054] At step s28, the user 16 may play the initiated game on the
tablet computer 14. The initiated game may comprise elements from
the multimedia content that the user 16 is consuming, or has
recently consumed, using the TV 6.
[0055] At step s30, information relating to the user's playing of
the initiated game may be provided from the tablet computer 14 to
the game-services module 10. This information may, for example,
comprise information specifying whether or not the user 16 allowed
the game to be initiated on the tablet computer 14, for how long
the user 16 played the game, whether the user 16 completed the
game, the specific multimedia the game was played in relation to,
etc. This information may, for example, be stored by the
game-services module 10, e.g., in the database 11. This information
may, for example, be used by the game-services module 10 when
selecting games for the user 16 at a future time. For example, the
game-services module 10 may use the information received at step
s30 to determine the user's favorite types of games (with respect
to certain types of multimedia content) or what multimedia content
the games that the user 16 played were related to. When, at a
future time, the game-services module 10 selects games for the user
16 to play, the game-services module 10 may take into account what
the user's favorite types of games are.
[0056] Thus, an embodiment of a method of initiating an application
on a user device is provided.
[0057] The above described system and method advantageously tend to
provide a "discovery" capability. In other words, it tends to be
possible for the above system, using media-analysis processes, to
discover what multimedia content (e.g., what TV program) a user is
consuming or has recently consumed. This knowledge may then be used
in a game-selection process. Also, this knowledge may be used to,
in effect, customize a generic game for a certain user.
Furthermore, this discovery process is advantageously separate and
distinct from the process of game development.
[0058] The discovery capability further facilitates the assembly of
a community of game players for multiplayer gameplay. For example,
users who it is discovered are watching a particular TV show tend
to be more likely to play a multiplayer game related to that TV
show than users who are not watching, or have not watched, that TV
show. This discovery capability tends to allow for the discovery of
localized devices (e.g., on a local area network) as well as
wide-area network (e.g., Internet-connected/cloud) based
devices.
[0059] The above described system and method advantageously tend to
provide a "pre-screening" or "filtering" capability. Such a
capability advantageously tends to facilitate in the assembly of a
community of game players for multiplayer gameplay. For example,
users may be filtered depending upon their game-playing habits,
personal preferences, profile information, and TV viewing habits.
This may be performed to identify users that would most likely be
interested in playing multiplayer games relating to certain
multimedia content. Furthermore, the provided filtering capability
tends to provide that such an assembly of a community of game
players for multiplayer gameplay may be performed quickly (e.g., so
that a multiplayer game may be initiated or launched whilst the
multimedia content to which the game is related is being broadcast
to, or consumed by, the users, or shortly thereafter). Furthermore,
this filtering process is advantageously separate and distinct from
the process of game development.
[0060] The above described system and method advantageously tend to
provide "call-to-action" games to users (i.e., game that may urge a
user to play them straight away). The games may be automatically
initiated on a user's computing device, e.g., whilst the user is
consuming multimedia content or shortly afterwards. Furthermore,
the games provided by the above described system and method may
advantageously be related to the multimedia content that the user
is consuming or has recently consumed. Thus, the "brand" of the
multimedia that the user is consuming or has recently consumed may
be supported (i.e., strengthened) by the associated game.
[0061] Furthermore, the above described system and method tend to
provide that games relating to multimedia content that the user is
consuming, or has recently consumed, can be dynamically created.
For example, the system may discern what the user is consuming and
create or produce a game that is related to the specific multimedia
that the user is consuming. This may be performed by either
selecting a game that is directly related to what the user is
consuming or by including in a generic game elements that relate to
what the user is consuming.
[0062] The above described system and method may advantageously
provide that the games provided to a user (e.g., by initiating that
game on a computing device of that user) relate to multimedia
content being consumed (or having been recently consumed) by that
user. In particular, a game initiated on a secondary client device
(e.g., a tablet computer) may relate to (e.g., may include
information extracted from) multimedia content that is being
consumed by a user on a primary device (e.g., a TV). Thus, content
being viewed by a user may be utilized (e.g., in the form of image
data or program metadata) to trigger call-to-action games that can
reinforce or augment branding present on the primary video
screen.
[0063] The above described method and apparatus advantageously tend
to reduce costs associated with synchronizing games with multimedia
content (e.g., TV programs) to which they relate. Also costs
associated with assembling a community for multiplayer gameplay of
those games tend to be reduced.
[0064] In the above embodiments, the application initiated on the
tablet computer is a game. However, in other embodiments, a
different type of application (e.g., a different type of computer
program, etc.) may be initiated. For example, the application may
be an advertisement that may, for example, comprise
user-interactive elements. The different type of application may
have included in it information extracted from the displayed
multimedia content.
[0065] The application may be interstitial relative to the
multimedia content to which it relates. In other words, the
application may relate only to relatively small portions of the
multimedia content as opposed to the multimedia content as whole.
Also, the application may be a peer-to-peer application (or may
comprise peer-to-peer elements). Also, the call-to-action element
of the application may have a relatively short-duration so that any
applications initiated for a user tend to relate to multimedia
being consumed, or having been recently consumed, by that user.
[0066] In the above embodiments, the game-services module may
optionally interact with a Digital Rights Management module (e.g.,
supplied by or controlled by a content studio or provider) to
confirm possible licensing of certain specific segments of media
content for use with call-to-action gaming.
[0067] In view of the many possible embodiments to which the
principles of the present discussion may be applied, it should be
recognized that the embodiments described herein with respect to
the drawing figures are meant to be illustrative only and should
not be taken as limiting the scope of the claims. Therefore, the
techniques as described herein contemplate all such embodiments as
may come within the scope of the following claims and equivalents
thereof.
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